If Scharnhorst and Gneisenau entered the Mediterranean

What Royal Navy capital ships would oppose Scharnhorst and Gneisenau if they entered the Mediterranean?

Nelson and Rodney could guard Gibraltar while the modernized Queen Elizabeth-class battleships handled the German ships inside the Mediterranean, with further reinforcement available if needed.

Once Scharnhorst and Gneisenau passed Gibraltar, they would be unlikely to escape again. Nelson and Rodney could hold the western exit, while the upgraded Queen Elizabeth class in the Mediterranean Fleet could fight them. A King George V-class reinforcement was possible but not automatically necessary. The larger concern would be the German ships operating alongside the Regia Marina, which makes containment and combined fleet balance more important than a single ship-to-ship duel.